My childs father is a rapist

[Alaurenj91]

I need some advice, my daughter was concieved through rape and is now in care and social services want her to have contact with her father who raped and beat me what can i do to stop it?

[Suzie, FRG Adviser]

Dear Alaurenj91,

Welcome the Parents Forum.

I am so sorry to hear that your daughter was conceived through rape and that you suffered sexual and domestic violence at the hands of her father. I can understand how difficult it must be to hear that now children services want your daughter to have contact with her father.
I can see why you would be worried about her safety-both physically and emotionally.

Have you had the opportunity to share your views with children services? Do you have a solicitor or advocate to assist you?

If you do not have an advocate you should contact Women’s Aid or Rape Crisis about getting an advocate to help you put forward your views. As experts in domestic and sexual violence a specialist should also be able to highlight the concerns around safety.

Has a full risk assessment in respect of dad taken place? Ask for a copy. Has he completed any perpetrator’s courses? Has the family court ever been asked to address the issue of contact? There should also be a fresh risk assessments. Has there been a psychological assessment of him.

You say your daughter is in care. This means she will be a “looked after child” and she will have a care plan which will detail the contact arrangements.
The care plan will be reviewed regularly at a looked after child (LAC) review. As a parent you should be involved in the review and your views sought. The review is chaired by an independent reviewing officer.

If the social worker is not listening to your views, you (or your advocate) could contact the independent reviewing officer about your concerns. Ask what risk assessments of dad have been done. Is it safe enough for your daughter to have contact? How is she protected? Has he cooperated with a psychological assessment to assess his risk? What about plans to re unite your daughter home? If she has contact with dad will this have an effect on future plans?

If there is a care order (or interim care order) in respect of your daughter.

When there is a care order or interim order, the law says there should be “reasonable” contact between your daughter and her parents as long as it is safe. If it is not safe for your daughter it should not happen.

If your daughter is subject to interim care order then there will be ongoing court proceedings and you will be entitled to a solicitor. Speak to your solicitor as soon as you can about your concerns. What is the guardians view? You could ask that there is no contact until the court considers how safe it is. Your solicitor could also make application to court for a no contact order.

If there is a full care order in respect of your daughter then there will be no ongoing court proceedings. The best way forward would be to contact the independent reviewing officer-see above.
Even if there is a full care order you can seek legal advice about going back to court for a no contact order. This would mean the guardian and the judge would be involved in the decision making as well.
See our advice sheet about contact with children who are subject to a care order.

If you daughter is accommodated.

This means you have agreed that your daughter is looked after by children services.
Children services will not have a court order so will not have legal parental responsibility.
When a child is accommodated, children services are under a duty to promote contact but only if it safe.

I suggest asking the social worker or the independent reviewing officer about risk assessments of dad (as above). If you are not happy with the decisions being made about contact ask that it does not happen until it has been considered by the court.

You could consider withdrawing your consent to the accommodation of your daughter. But before you take this step, it is important to get urgent legal advice to see whether this is an advisable step. You could ask the social worker to agree that contact does not happen until you have sought legal advice from a solicitor who specialises in children law or you could call our advice line on 0808 801 0366.

Here is our advice sheet about accommodation . See part 3-about contact when a child is accommodated.

I hope this advice helps but if you have any questions or need further advice please post again.

Best wishes,
Suzie